Adaptations, Biomes, & EcologyObj. 3a, 3e, & 3h
Adaptations to an EnvironmentEvery organism has a variety of adaptations that are
suited to its specific living conditions An adaptation is a trait that an organism has
inherited that helps them survive and reproduce in their habitat Ex. Sharks sense of smell, shape of a bird’s beak, dogs can
hear well, flowers have bright colors
Physical adaptations do not develop during one lifetime, but over many generations Genes that help determine survival are passed from parent
to offspring
How many traits can you find that are
adaptations to this environment?
Adaptations Over TimeNatural selection is the process by which
individuals who are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce than other members of the same species.
Caused by variations among species
VariationsVariations are different ways that a trait can
express itselfSome variations make individuals better fit for
survival from predators allowing them to reproduce and pass the favorable trait to their offspring
Ex. Variations among turtles make some of them better able to survive. Turtles that survive to become adults will be able to reproduce.
Variations
Animal Defense Adaptations Some animals use
these methods of defense to protect themselves: Camouflage
Snake Mimicry
Mexican Milk Snake Bright colors
Skunk and Poison Arrow Frog
“Hair” projections Hedgehog quills Deer Antlers
Natural Selection by EnvironmentVariations can also allow organisms to
become better adapted to survive in a particular climate
Organisms expressing traits that allow them to survive & reproduce in a particular environment will become the dominant life within the environment
BiomesBiomes are Large geographic areas characterized by
a distinct climate and specific types of plant & animal life.
Climate is the weather a place has over a long period of time (50 years).
Taiga/Boreal (Coniferous) Forest BiomesWinters are cold and very snowySummers are warm and rainy enough to melt all the
snow Dominant plants adapt with needle-shaped leaves to
reduce water loss by having less surface area Ex. evergreens
Animal have adapted by camouflage, hibernating or migrating, & thick fur
Tundra BiomesPermanently frozen land (permafrost)
Dominant plants adapt by growing close to the ground, having shallow roots to absorb the limited water, trees grow less than 1 m high!
Animals have small ears, insulation, thick coat, migration, few predators, little competition
Deciduous Forest BiomesMuch of the human population lives in this biomeCharacterized by an abundance of deciduous (leaf
bearing) treesCharacterized by 4 seasons
Trees adapt to varied climate by becoming dormant in winter Ex. Magnolias, roses, Oak treesAnimals have adapted by hibernating, losing winter coat,
adapting to many seasons, eating from different layers of the forest
Rain Forest Biomes Wet, warm biomes that contain the greatest variety of life
on earth Plant & animal life adapts in a variety of ways
Camouflage Poisonous Mimicry
Desert Biomes Receive less than 25 cm of rain per year.
Hottest temperature on Earth The plants have many adaptations for getting and
conserving water. (deep roots, needles) Some animals have adapted by being nocturnal, burrowing
under ground, & being hairless
Aquatic Biomes Oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, streams
Plants are micro and macroscopic; there are also floating plants (kelp)
Zooplankton—sea’s smallest herbivores, & deep ocean animals feed on floating debris in the water (detritus)
Aquatic Biomes Adaptations
Ecology
Ecosystemso An ecosystem is all the organisms that
live in an area together with the nonliving factors of the environmento Ex. Pond or pine forest
o Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other & the physical environment
PopulationsAll the organisms in an ecosystem
that belong to the same speciesEx. Mice living in a meadow or
pine trees in a forestSpecies are a group of organisms
that can mate to produce offspring that can produce more offspringEx. Brown pelican or human
CommunityAll the populations of different
species that live in an ecosystem & share resourcesEx. Pine tree forest forms a
community with populations of deer, mice, raccoons, bacteria, mushrooms, & ferns
PracticeFill in the circle & give an example as we go through
the next slideBiosphere
Levels of Organization
Habitat
The natural environment where an organism lives that provides food, shelter, moisture, & temperature
needed for survival the physical environment
Ex. The polar bears main habitat is
on offshore pack ice, and along costs and island of the Arctic region.
Group Time!
What kinds of plants & animals do you think you would find living in this
habitat?
NicheThe unique ways an organism
survives, obtains food & shelter, reproduces, cares for its young, and avoids danger
(how it has adapted)
Ex. Polar Bear Niche
Large feet and short, sharp, stocky claws are adaptations to this environment.
Thick layer of fat under a thick fur to provide protection from extreme cold temperatures
Polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform for hunting seals.
Eat seals, walrus, & fishCare for young for 2 years
Interactions Within Communities
All organisms need ENERGY to survive.
The sun is the source of energy that fuels most life on Earth
Feeding RelationshipsTwo categories of organisms
Autotrophs are organisms that can make their own food for energy by capturing sunlight or other chemicals
Heterotrophs can not make their own food for energy & must obtain it by feeding on another organism
3 main types Producers (Autotrophs) Consumers (heterotrophs) Decomposers (heterotrophs)
ProducersOrganisms that make their own food
using energy from the sun & raw materials from the environmentMost producers are plants that use the
process of photosynthesis to make food
PhotosynthesisPlants use carbon dioxide and hydrogen with
light-energy in the presence of chlorophyll in the chloroplast of the cells to make glucose and oxygen
Directly or indirectly produces food for almost all organisms
Phytoplankton & algae also play a huge role as producers in the environment
carbon dioxide + water + sunlight oxygen + glucose (CO2) (H2O) (energy) (O2) (C6H1206)
ConsumersOrganisms that cannot make their own
food & Obtain energy by eating other organisms & cellular respiration
Three Types:Herbivores: eat only plants/producersCarnivores: eat only animalsOmnivores: eat both plant & animals
Cellular Respiration
The purpose of cellular respirations is to release energy that can be used by cells to perform their specialized function Cellular respiration occurs in the mitochondria of
cells. The mitochondria uses glucose & oxygen and
converts it in a chemical reaction to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy
oxygen + sugar carbon dioxide + water + energy
(O2) (C6H1206) (CO2) (H2O)
Consumers
DecomposersOrganisms that feed on the dead
remains or waste products of other organisms to obtain energy Ex. Bacteria, earthworms, & fungi
Hands up, Stand up, Pair up
1. Compare & contrast Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration & make a list of what you see?
2. How are these two processes related to each other?
Food Chains
A model that shows the flow of energy through feeding relationships
among organisms in a particular ecosystems
Food Webs
A model that links the organisms within an ecosystem by how they depend on each other for food.
The lines drawn represent the flow of energy through the ecosystem & show a variety of food chains
Energy Pyramid An energy pyramid shows the amount of energy
available at each level of a food chain. Only about 10% of energy is passed to next
level.Producers- bottom level- have the most energy
Primary consumers- eat producers
Secondary consumers- eat primary consumers
Tertiary consumers- eat secondary consumers
Energy Pyramid
Energy Pyramid
1. What are the secondary consumers?2. If there are 50,000 kcal available to the giraffes, how many are available to the lions?
Relationships Between PopulationsCompetition: Occurs when more that
one individual or population tries to make use of the same limited resources Ex. Food, water, or space
Predation: Type of feeding relationship in which one animal captures & eats another animal for food Animal being eaten is the prey Animal doing the eating is the predator Predator/prey relationships help keep an
ecosystem in balance by preventing any one population from growing too large
Predation